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I changed my BBS name to zep around 4 months ago, so some people still call me lexaloffle. Technically lexaloffle is the studio, but because it has been mostly a one man operation the difference is academic. I prefer zep though (: (It's from my name IRL -- Joseph)

Thanks for giving me the benefit of the doubt, FadedReality! These long silences are no good though -- I'm planning to get more incremental updates and development diary entries going. The coming version is a mixture of platform support, bug fixes and a lot of new engine code that isn't accessible yet, so it has been an unfortunate combination of time consuming work without many interesting features to report on. I have a tendency to go into hermit mode to get stuff like that done. Sorry to make you worry, Verazzi!

I'll post another dev diary at the end of the week, but just a mini-update to let you know what's happening:

- Rewrote the year-old internal monster code so that it still supports old maps but is now super-flexible for adding new monsters (and eventually for the monster designer)

- I enlisted the services of another modeler/level designer onto the project (apart from me, I mean). Partly to speed up development of the main game world which is quite large, but also to work on more demo levels that will be coupled with major engine updates to demonstrate new features.

- Designed an inventory system that will probably make it into 0.2.0. The player can collect special items and select which weapon to use etc. This will allow for rpg-ish style levels and exploratory adventure levels.

- I moved into a new office! Previously I was doing lexaloffle mostly on a laptop on trains and in cafes. I'll miss my hobo friends but it's great for productivity.

I don't want to take a stab at when 0.1.7 will be ready, because I've woefully wrong about it (and don't want to fumble it out just for the sake of sticking to schedule). But I only have one non-trivial task left (new linux packaging) so it won't be long at all.

By the way, if you haven't seen it already here's a map of planned development updates

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I do believe that help from the community to spread this game around will be beneficial. I've made a thread on the subject http://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?tid=1089 if you dont approve of me linking I will gladly remove it. I really do wish this game garnered more attention than it currently is, but with my current school situation I am unable to help as much as I would like.

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zep, I think you should just say that game development is not always as linear as it appears on that tentative "roadmap" page. In some ways you seem to be behind your early estimates, but in others you are ahead of it. I mean ahead of the 0.1.7 version.

Thanks for the update. I got Cortex Command from another HIB and was disappointed to find out it won't ever be finished. Cortex Command has excellent presentation, menu, music, but as a game it's just bad. Sandbox - okay...